"The Four Signs of a Dynamic Catholic: How Engaging 1% of Catholics Could Change the World" by Matthew Kelly is a book about the struggle the Catholic Church has had keeping its parishioners engaged, particularly in America. With 80 million people proclaiming to be Catholic in the United States, and 1.2 billion globally (base on 2012 figures), increasing the involvement of a very small fraction - 1% - would be enough to have significant impact on our country, our world and in the Church.

For those in business, his approach for 'evaluating' the current state of the Church will sound familiar. It is not unlike a consultant evaluating a struggling business. There are familiar concepts throughout - the 80/20 rule, swot analysis, process, branding, engagement. Mr. Kelly proposes that increasing individuals focus on four areas can result in significant spiritual development and substantial impact our churches, communities, and world. These four areas are not unexpected, particularly if you have any type of Christian religious background (I won't share them, you need to read the book).

For most things in our lives, starting is the most difficult. The same for these four 'areas of opportunity', but even more challenging for many born into Catholicism. Kelly starts simple - he proposes a straight forward approach that begins with small steps and builds from there, not unlike implementing a new workout regime or healthy eating plan. This is the aspect of "The Four Signs of a Dynamic Catholic" that I found significantly appealing. Catholicism is so deep, so broad - having been around for centuries and having had time to distill some of the finer points of Christianity - resulting in a sometimes complex morass of theology, doctrine, and tradition. People get overwhelmed. Typically, individuals can't begin complex. They need to start small and simple then build. [4.5/5]

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